After a long hiatus from recording and playing, then several years of touring, Magma has finally released something new, and although the eight minutes on this CD that could have easily accommodated eighty might seem like a shortchange, the two tracks herein provide a fairly good insight as to where the band is at today. The lineup is a septet of bass, piano, guitar and drums, plus three vocalists, and it should be no surprise that some of the music herein — especially “Ëktah,” bears a strong resemblance to that of Christian Vander’s other band Offering. Indeed four veterans of Offering are present in this lineup. “Flöë Ëssi” may be a bit more typical of earlier Magma, harkening back to the sound of 1001 Centigrades and Attahk, albeit without the heavy thundering basses or horn section. Longtime fans will find this single reassuring, while newcomers will find it far more satisfying than last years’ compilation of edits. If this single represents the new sound of Kobaïa, then count this writer on board.

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Previously in Exposé...

Glass Hammer - The Inconsolable Secret –
One could arguably claim that this release finds American prog band Glass Hammer at the top of their game, which probably explains the scope of this effort. First of all, it s a two-disk set in a...
(2006) »
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